Episode 12:
Zindagi Jhandva

Scene: Broadway Theatre

Rumi, who was observing Agastya and Sweety from far, now moves close to them.

"Hey Agastya, won't you introduce me to your new lead performer?", Rumi says while placing her hand on his shoulder.

Agastya stares at Rumi and nods to her. On the other hand, Sweety shows no effect of her presence. Agastya moves a bit towards Sweety to let Rumi's hand fall off his shoulder.

"Sure Rumi. She is Sweety, my lead actress and Sweety, she is Rumi, my former colleague.", Agastya introduces. Rumi shakes hand with Sweety.

"Sirf colleague Agastya?", Rumi questions.

"Hmm.. haan former lead performer in my team", he says.

"And?", Rumi probes

"And a friend.", Says Agastya glaring at Rumi.

"Come on Agastya, you can do better than this. We were not just friends!", Says Rumi.

Agastya feels annoyed of Rumi.

"Ex-Girlfriend thi! Nice to meet you Rumi. Par tum mujhe ye sab details batana kyu chahti ho? As if ex hona koi badi achievement hai. Please don't mind but jo bhi hai, I have absolutely no interest in your past equations.", Says Sweety with a straight face. Rumi's eyes and mouth were open agape with shock. Agastya too was surprised.

"Excuse me Sweety." Rishab calls Sweety and she goes to him.

"Rumi, I want to talk to you. Come with me.", Agastya drags her to the backstage.

"Huh!! Sweety!! Waise Agastya yeh naam ladki ka kam kisi b****, I mean kutti ka jyada lagta hai. Haina?", Says Rumi.

He holds her arm, slams her back to the wall making her face himself.

"Nahi! Rumi, you are going overboard now.", Agastya glares at Rumi.

"F***!! Maine kya kiya Agastya? Inta kyu badhak rahe ho? Is she your girlfriend?", Asks Rumi.

"Why does it concern you? Friend ke naate aayi ho, toh behave like one.", Agastya said sternly.

"Chill Agastya, relax. I was just joking yaar.", Rumi smiles.

"I don't laugh at such jokes. I need to go, I have some work.", Excuses Agastya and goes away.

Rumi's POV:
Agastya's still loves me. He didn't accept about any relationship with her. May be he just wants to make me feel jealous. Jo mere liye jaan dene chala tha woh, mujhe aise hi kaise bhul sakta hai? Aur main usse bhulne bhi nahi dungi.

Agastya searches for Sweety but she wasn't there in the auditorium.

"Rishab, where is Sweety?", Agastya asks

"Woh backstage costume try karne gayi hai for final alterations.", Rishab tells.

Agastya goes towards the trial rooms at the backstage since he knew Rumi was also there earlier. Sweety was inside the changing room, so Rumi was waiting for her to come out. On seeing Agastya approaching, she hides herself in another changing room just beside Sweety's room.

"Sweety... Sweety...", Calls Agastya

"I am here Agastya, in the corner changing room", answers Sweety loudly.

"Open the door", he says by standing near the door. Rumi narrows her eyebrows as she peeps at him through the little gap. Sweety opens the door. She was dressed in a red gown.

"I think this is little loose, will have to ask the designer to stitch this from here.", Sweety says looking down at her gown.

Agastya's POV

How do I ensure her that there is nothing left between me and Rumi? Uske saamne toh isne react nahi kiya but kahi iske mann mein doubt aa gaya ho toh? We haven't discussed about our own relationship. Toh explaination bhi kaise doon?

Agastya cups Sweety's face and kisses her lips as a way to ensure that he just loves her, without putting it in words. Rumi felt as if a lightening bolt struck her.

After the kiss, they both stare into each other's eyes for few seconds before Sweety pulls him by his collar inside the changing room and shuts the door behind. Rumi who witnessed this from her hideout was devastated. To her dismay, she felt sound of bang on the common wall between her and Sweety's room. She went down to the auditorium and strolled to and fro furiously waiting for them to arrive.

It had been quite sometime that they hadn't returned. Unable to tolerate, she goes back near the dressing room and finds them both coming out. Sweety was now dressed in her earlier clothes.

"I will ask the designer to alter this.", Says Sweety to Agastya showing him the red gown in the hand. He nods and she goes away. Agastya dials a number on his phone and starts speaking.

"Hi, sorry. I missed your call earlier, was a bit occupied with something...", He spoke to the other person over the call. He walk past Rumi without paying attention to her.

Unable to take anymore of the dejection, Rumi leaves the Broadway theatre.
.
.
.
Scene: Hangover Pub.

"Do you believe it Maira, Agastya Rao ignored me for some brainless b****, Sweety? Uss Agastya ke liye maine Ishaan ko chodd diya.... Hellooo.. Helloooowww.. Hell", Rumi looks at her phone which was dead due to battery drain.

"Excuse me, can I join you for a drink?", A lady sits opposite to Rumi.

"F*** off, sit somewhere else", Rumi says.

"Hey! Calm down. If I tell you my identity, you will offer me a drink yourself.", Says the lady.

"Tum kya Queen Elizabeth ho?", Rumi asks irritated.

"Filhaal usse bhi important hoon tumhaare liye. Main Sweety ke baap ki dusri biwi hoon. Aur mujhe bhi Sweety se utni hi nafrat hai jitni tumhe.", Surveen says.

Rumi looks at her in surprise.

"Ek baar puri tarah se kuchchal kar rakh chuki thi main uss Sweety ko, phir se phan utta ke khadi ho gayi hai. Aur iska credit sirf us Agastya ko jata hai. He bloody replaced me with her for the lead.", Surveen speaks in gritting her jaws.

"Tumhari dushman, meri dushman.. so we can be friends!!", Rumi says.

"Cheers!! Apni dosti ke liye aur uss Sweety ke barbaadi k liye..", Surveen raises her glass.
.
.
.
Scene: Cab point, Outside Broadway Theatre

"Sweety, waapis ghar chale? Enough of hotel now.", Agastya says.

"I've already found a place for myself and paid the advance rent as well. I have to shift tonight.", Sweety said.

"Hmmm.. Main aau help karne?", says Agastya by nodding his head and biting his lips.

"No, filhaal ek hi bag hai. I'll come to pickup my other belongings later today.", She informs and gets into the cab which arrived.

Agastya takes another cab and goes home. His face looked dull. When he reaches home, Rumi hugs him. He was taken aback.

"Hi Rumi. Tum yaha?", He asks her.

"Haan Agastya, woh mera temporary accommodation ka period khatam ho gaya aur woh log extend nahi kar paaye kyuki someone else had already reserved starting today evening. Ab yaha iss sheher mein tumhare siva mera hai hi kaun? Isiliye yaha aa gayi main, tumhare saath rehne.", Says Rumi.

"But there are only 3 rooms here.", Agastya says.

"Toh? I can adjust with you in this room. Something is better than nothing you see?", Rumi states.

"Hmmm..", he hummed. Rumi smirked on her achievement.

"I'll go get freshen up and come.", Declares Rumi and takes fresh clothes from her bag and goes inside the bathroom. She returns after a long rejuvenating bath. She was dressed in a revealing nighty however, she was shocked to find Agastya pulling the zip of a trolley bag.

"What is this Agastya?", She asks.

"I am actually shifting with Sweety. She has got a new accommodation today itself. I've told Farah and Rishab that you will stay in this room instead of me. I'll see you around. Bye!", Says Agastya while pulling his trolley bag with him out of the room.

Rumi stands at the window and observes that Sweety had arrived in the cab and Agastya places the luggage in the trunk and drive away with her.

Rumi's POV:
Yeh Sweety har baar baazi maar leti hai. Iski toh!! I have to buckle up before it's too late. Agastya sirf mera hai, he can't love anyone else.
.
.
.
Scene: Sweety's new apartment.

Sweet looks at Agastya who was arranging his belongings into the wardrobe.

Sweety's POV:
Bina kuch kahe we are committed to each other. The way he gives attention to me, I feel loved. Love, jispe mera vishwaas hi utt gaya tha aur jiske naam pe aaj tak bas dhokha mila mujhe. Aaj phir ek baar woh mere darwaaze pe dastak de raha hai. Par mujhe darr lagta hai phir se hurt hone ka.

He looks at her observing him and raises his eyebrows, she smiles and nods to say nothing. He was mesmerised by her beautiful smile because this was the first time he saw her smiling since the time he had met her. He silently goes an hugs her after kissing her forehead.

As usual, Sweety gets up in the middle of the night and tries doing her rehearsal however she was unable to deliver her dialogue as she continuously got distracted by looking at Agastya's sleeping figure. She finally gives up the idea of rehearsing and goes to sleep beside him by hugging him.
.
.
.
Scene: Broadway Theatre

"Sweety, what's wrong? Aren't you feeling well?", Agastya asks.

"I am fine, one more take!", Sweety says by showing thumbs up.

She delivers her dialogues.

"No no Sweety! You seem distracted. Where are the emotions you portrayed flawlessly? Retake!", Agastya says frustrated.

Sweety nods and takes another try.

"No Sweety! Not up to mark! I ain't happy. Sirf 2 din reh gaye hai final act ko, kya hua tumhe? Take a break and continue.", Says Agastya and goes to his cabin feeling annoyed.

"Hey Agastya, kya hua tumhaari Aparajita ko? Isse achcha tum mujhe perform karne dete.", Taunts Rumi.

"She is the best I can ever have.", He says glaring at her.

"Toh itna kyu bhadak rahe the auditorium mein? I am the best you ever had Agastya. Admit it! Mujhe jalaane ke liye tum jhoot mat bolo.", She smirks.

"Achcha? You want to compare? Come let's go on the stage and do the comparison.", He says by dragging her to the auditorium by her arms.

"Relax Agastya, you are hurting me. Mera haat keechne ki zarurat nahi hai, main aa rahi hoon.", Says Rumi.

He leaves her arm. He goes to the auditorium and looks around.

"Sweety kaha hai? Sweety!! Sweety!! Ms. Sukhminder Kaur!!", He screams in frustration.

"Agastya, she went out somewhere, a teammate informed that he saw her boarding the cab.", Rishab informs.

"What? Rehearsal ke beech!! Professionalism at it's peak!", Rumi taunts further.

"Shut up Rumi! Rishab, didn't she inform you about where she was going?", Agastya asks. Rumi shrugs and sits on the chair nearby.

"No, pata hota toh bata deta na Agastya.", Rishab says.

Agastya strokes his hair in frustration. He goes back to the cabin and tries calling her which goes unanswered.

Agastya's POV:
What the hell is she upto? Itna bhi kya badak gayi ki rehearsals choddke beech mein se chali gayi. Galati kar rahi thi toh mera chillana bhi toh jayaz tha. Upar se woh Rumi ke taunts. Arghhh.. zindagi jhandh banake rakh diya inn aurton ne.

He bangs on the table in frustration.

End of Episode 12

___________________________

To be continued.. ❤️❤️